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Professional Practice in the Early Years
Week 1
Agenda
• Introduction
• What does it mean to be a professional?
• About the course?
• Professional Regulation
• Characteristics of an Effective ECE
Tammy Primeau
Experience in the ECE profession:
• Master of Arts Early Childhood Studies Toronto Metropolitan University
Master Research Project: The Perspective of Early Childhood Educators on caring for Indigenous Children - This study
aimed to give voice to Indigenous and settler ally RECEs to determine if current systems are adding to the socio-emotional
well-being of Indigenous children.
• Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership Sheridan College
Capstone: Childcare and the Coronavirus Pandemic – Our childcare system and how it existed pre-coronavirus and the post-
coronavirus expectations established the tone for this comparison study
• Undergraduate Degree, Creative Problem Solving Sheridan College
PROFESSIONAL & RELATED EXPERIENCE
• Indigenous Early Years: Training and Development Manager
• Registered Early Childhood Educator Mentor \
• Registered Early Childhood Educator
• Teaching Assistant – 2nd Year BA - Early Childhood Studies
• Leadership and Engagement Team and Peer-Assist Leader
• Milton Community Resource Centre (MCRC) Licensed Child Care Program, Milton, Ontario
Publications:
Embracing Our Power: ECE Students’ Experiences Creating Spaces of Resistance in Post-Secondary Institutions.
IN Education, Vol.28, No.1b (2022): Autumn 2022
PRESENTATIONS:
RECE Conference, University of British Columbia, Canada;
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Alumni Evening, Toronto, Ontario,
SERVICE TO COMMUNITY
• Advocate: National Child Care Advocacy Assembly, Child Care Now, Ottawa, ON 2023.
• Community of Practice Co-Lead: Student Early Childhood Educators of Ontario for the Association of
Early Childhood Educators of Ontario (AECEO).
• Co-creator: Anti-Racism Project with Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC), Indigenous
focus.
• Member: Rise-Up T.O. Advocacy
AFFILIATIONS
Member in good standing with:
College of Early Childhood Educators – registration number 48613
Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario (AECEO) – registration number 217667
Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care (OCBCC) – Indigenous advisor for WAGE project.
Let's talk Tell us anything you like.
about Some ideas...
you... • Family, friends
Create a name card • Pets
with an icon that • Experience with children.
represents you.
• Hobbies, interests.
What does
it mean to
be a
professiona
l?
https://www.menti.com/
aly7gcbsjkbj
Professional Practice in the Early
Years
• This course will examine professional practice in the context of the
early learning team and within the profession. Through analysis of
professional documents, students will consolidate their
understanding of ethical practices for early learning professionals.
They will critique and practice effective strategies for initiating and
maintaining reciprocal and positive relationships with members of
the early learning team. Students will analyze their professional
practices and through a process of self-reflection, will examine the
impact of those practices on their emerging professional identity.
Course Outcomes
• Practice strategies for initiating and maintaining effective team dynamics
and communication.
• Analyze professional documents in order to consolidate an
understanding of ethical practices in early learning and care.
• Practice navigating ethical dilemmas through professional judgement,
self-assertion, professional documents, cultural responsivity and models
of collaborative leadership and responsibility.
• Use reflective practice to identify personal communication style and
relational dynamics.
• Appraise and communicate professional practices and personal strengths
in order to reflect upon the relationship between these practices and
emerging professional identity.
Ethical Dilemma Group
Project
25%
Resume and Interviews
Evaluatio 25%
ns Reflective Journals
25%
Exam
25%
Let's Review
• eConestoga
• Instructional Plan
ECE Website – More Info Tab
Student https://www.conestogac.on.ca/f
Handbook ulltime/early-childhood-educati
Found in Student on/moreinfo?id=28420
Resources and on our
website.
What is the Purpose and Mandate of the
College of Early Childhood Educators?
• The College of Early Childhood Educators (College) regulates and governs Ontario’s
Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) in the public interest (College of ECE,
2022).
• Purpose and Mandate
How Professional Regulation
Protects the Public Interest
The RECE designation is an achievement recognized by parents,
educators and early learning and child care stakeholders across the
province.
Professional regulation upholds the integrity of the profession and
protects the public interest by investigating and prosecuting registered
early childhood educators who commit professional misconduct.
(Spector, M. n.d)
https://www.college-ece.ca/en/Documents/Practice_Guideline_Professionalism.pdf
Practice Guideline: Professionalism
Scavenger Hunt
https://www.college-ece.ca/en/Documents/Practice_Guideline_Professionali
sm.pdf
• What is the purpose of the ECE profession?
• As a member of the College of ECE, what title do you hold?
• What does your title and scope of practice tell families, colleagues, and
members of the public?
• Is your protected title, the same as your employment title?
• RECEs hold themselves to high standards through what?
• Who is considered a leader in this profession?
• What is the College of ECEs definition of professionalism in ECE?
• What do you do if there is a conflict between workplace policies and the
Characteristics of
an Effective ECE
• Read the characteristics on the wall. Go to the one
that you feel represents you the most.
• Review the article to get a closer look as to what
these mean in the context of ECE.
• https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laura-Colker-2/publication/292
062700_Twelve_characteristics_of_effective_early_childhood_teacher
s/links/5bf4d3d24585150b2bc63df1/Twelve-characteristics-of-effectiv
e-early-childhood-teachers.pdf
What characteristics you feel are
missing from this list?
What type of learning environment do you need?
• Getting to know you form
• Found in Week 1 content
Next Week:
• Come prepared to
begin your
reflection journals.
References
College of ECE. (2022). Purpose and Mandate. Retrieved from:
https://www.college-ece.ca/about-us/purpose-and-mandate/
College of ECE. (2018). Practice Guideline: Professionalism. Retrieved
from:
https://www.college-ece.ca/en/Documents/Practice_Guideline_Profess
ionalism.pdf
